Treatment of textile material



Patented Mar. 56,1940 I v f v PATENT OFFICE TREATMENT OF TEXTILE MATERIAL Charles N. Frey, New York, N. Y'., and Stephen Jozsa, Chicago, Ill., Brands Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware assil' ors to Standard No Drawing. Application July 9, 1936,

Serial No. 89,848

11 Claims.

The invention relates to a process for desizing and increasing the wettability of textile material and to a composition therefor: More particularly, it relates to a procedure for desizing cotton and mixed goods while simultaneously improving the wettability thereof and includes correlated improvements and discoveries whereby these desired results are obtained.

When preparing textiles for the dye bath, it has been the usual practice that they were first placed in a.hot dilute solution containingtan active starch liquefying enzyme, such as diastase.

passing them through wringer rolls, and they were then maintained in a heated condition for a period of time so that thestarch carried by the textile material was digested preferably substantially completely following which the material was rinsed and dried. It was found that mate-- rials so treated were deficient with respect to wettability; that is, when they were introduced into the dye bath the dye solution did not immediately enter the material which was rather more or less repellent. This resulted in an uneven and spotted dyeing of the so treated materials.

It is an object of the invention to provide a procedure whereby textile materials may be desized and have their wettability increased in a simple, single treating procedure with a result that subsequent dyeings may be made uniformly and without spotting.

Another object of the invention is to provide a procedure for the treatment of textile materials in which such materials are placed in a bath containing a starch liquefying enzyme and a phosphatide, e. g., lecithin, and which may be readily,

' efiectively and economically carried out in commercial practice.

A further object of the'invention is to provide a bath for simultaneously desizing and increasing the wettability of textile materials which contains a diastatic enzyme a d lecithin.

A specific object of he invention is the proviand the relation of constituents, which are exe'm- The excess of solution was removed usually by rial may be desized and the wettability increased by treating with a composition, at a suitable temperature, containing an active starch liquefying enzyme, e. g., a diastatic enzyme containing solution, and a phosphatide. The phosphatide preferrred is lecithin whichmay be the usual product of commerce as prepared from thesoy been.

It will be understoodsthat reference herein to lecithin is with respect to that product which is ordinarily purveyed and that the utilization of. a pure lecithin will entail a corresponding variation in the quantities given. 'As the source of an active liquefying enzyme there may be employed a solution of a diastatic enzyme having a Lintner valueof about 300.

The lecithin utilized may be admixed with the diastase solution under energetic agitation, as with a high speed mixer, that is, one operating at from 10,000 to 15,000 R. P. M. Further, a rather concentrated solution of lecithin may be prepared and then ,this solution admixed with the diastatic enzyme solution in suitable amounts. Thus,.a 1 to 5 solution or emulsion of lecithin may he made by gradually adding a small amount of warm (about 45 C.) water to lecithin and mixing The addition of the'lecithin to the diastatic enzyme solution may be in an amount of- 0.5 to 4% and the admixture stored without material diminution of the, liquefying power of the enzyme.

Treatment of textile material may be effected by way of illustrative example in a bath containing about 1%. of a diastatic enzyme solution having a Lintner value of 300 thus giving a treating bath having a Lintner value of about 3 and containing about 1% of lecithin. The textile material is immersed therein at a temperature of about 50 C. and allowed to remain for a period of twelve hours, suitably overnight. It is then withdrawn from the treating bath; the excess 'of bath-liquid removed by suitable means, as

passing between wringer rolls, and maintained at a. temperature which may be to C. for a suitable time to permit digestion of starch carried by the material, after which it is rinsed and dried.

.Textile material so treated has a markedly increased wettability and subsequent dyeings thereon may be made with uniformity and lack of spotting. The wettability of material thus treated was observed by recording the time required for a. drop of water to penetrate entirely into the u material. The penetration of a check was found to require thirty-two seconds, whereas material treated in a bath to which a diastatic solution containing 0.5% of lecithin had been added'gave a penetration in twenty-two seconds, when 1% of lecithin was used the penetration was 8 seconds, 2%; six seconds, and 4%, fi'veseconds.

. The corresponding amounts of lecithin contained .placed into a dye bath, the lecithin tends to spread the water of the dye solution quickly and thoroughly throughout the fibers thus yielding a uniform and even dyeing.

The textile material treated in accordance with the foregoing procedure is not only thoroughly desized, but possesses also a high degree. of wettability so that when introduced into a dye bath there results an even dyeing and the rate at which the dyepenetrates the fiber is increased. Fur thermore, the material is without any undesirable feel or acrid odor. 7

Since certain changes in carrying out the above process, and certain modifications in the composition which embody the invention may be made without departing from its scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description shall be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting sense. I q

It is also to. be understood that the following claims are intended to coverall of the generic and speciflc features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is; 1. A process for desizing. and increasing the wettability of textile material which comprises treating textile material with a composition containing an active starch liquefying enzyme anda phosphatide.

2. A process for desizing and increasing the wettability of textile material which comprises treating textile material in a bath containing an active starch liquefying enzyme and a lecithin.

wettability of textile material which comprises preparing a bath containing a diastatic enzyme and lecithin, heating, immersing the textile'material therein, withdrawing, maintaining in a heated condition until starch contained in said textile material has undergone digestion, and then rinsing and drying.

5. A process for desizing and increasing the wettability of textile material which comprises preparing a bath containing a diastatic enzyme and lecithin, heating at a temperature of about 50 C., immersing the textile material therein, withdrawing, maintaining in a heated condition until starch contained in said textile material has 1lilndergone digestion, and then rinsing and dry- 6. A process for desizing and increasing the wettability of textile material which comprises preparing a bath containing about 1% of a 300 Lintner diastatic enzyme composition and lecithin in an amount of about 0.005 to 0.04%, heating to a temperature of about 50 C., immersing the textile material in said bath, withdrawing, removing excess liquid, maintaining in a heated condition until starch carried by said textile material is substantially digested, and then rinsing and drying.

"I. A composition of matter for the treatment of textile material which comprises in solution in active starch liquefying enzyme and a phosphatide.

8. A composition of matter for the treatment of textile material which comprises in solution a diastatic enzyme and lecithin.

9. A composition of matter for the treatment of textile material which comprises a diastatic enzyme solution having a Lintner value of about 300 and containing 0.5 to 4% of lecithin.

' '10. A composition of matter for the treatment of textile material which comprises a bath for 

